Busting of Regret
by Lolitafreak88
Summary: With more information and mysteries than ever, Candace and Jenny recruit Stacy to help them investigate into what the camera's pictures mean and explore the town of Hirano, Phineas and Ferb's newest invention. Meanwhile, an oblivious Perry works on foiling Doofy's evil scheme after hearing some uncomfortable info. Will someone be busted? Or be devastated?
1. Warnings and Culture

Busting of Regret

By Lolitafreak88

*To truly understand this plot, it is best to read 'Writer's Blockade' first and then 'When the Platypus Cry' next before reading this story. Thank you*

Another summer sun had rose above Danville, the humble city famous for such summers. How many people could say they had participated in various fun and almost miraculous wonders built by two of the town's local residents? Two stepbrothers named Phineas and Ferb. Well the people in Danville sure could. Phineas and Ferb had built and done nearly all things imaginable. They made aquariums, race cars, chariots, a fashion line, an animal translator, a spa, various wonders that satisfied all ideas of entertainment. Stacy had been one of those to partake in their inventions. She had even become the Disco Miniature Golfing Queen when they built an exciting miniature golf course. She wasn't sure if she was going to see what the two inventors were doing for she was still getting ready.

The Asian teenage girl was brushing her hair and humming a bit of the song that she had danced to when she was the Disco Miniature Golfing Queen. She was very thankful to have gotten that opportunity, even if it was to technically spy on and bust Phineas and Ferb for their sister Candace. Candace Flynn was Stacy's best friend in Danville, and one of her favorite people in life. Candace was a red-head, long-necked, but pretty nonetheless teenage girl and was the big sister of Phineas and Ferb. She had the responsibility and loyalty expected from such a family role but sadly she suffered from more anxieties than Stacy had ever seen. Candace was scared of squirrels, had an uncanny obsession with busting her brothers, tended to easily freak out, and was possibly mentally unstable from all those failed attempts to bust. Still Candace was the only friend of Stacy's that was actually in a working relationship with a guy and she never failed to make Stacy smile... _Except for those times she totally ditched me or left me behind._ Stacy thought, recalling one instance where she and Candace were meant to perform and Candace did not show. At that moment, Stacy's cell-phone rang. Stacy stopped brushing and answered it instinctively.

"Top of the world, Stacy speaking." Stacy opened with a casual statement. The reply was from that very voice she was just thinking about,

"Hey Stace! So glad I caught you, did I wake you up? It is kind of early and I am kind of a hurry so did I?" Candace sounded particularly distracted or anxious this time. But not out of fear but more out of excitement or mousiness. It was still relatively early so Stacy couldn't blame Candace for worrying about potentially waking her up. Stacy started twirling a strand of her hair as she spoke,

"Not really. I was hoping to do something today, not sure what yet, so I woke up early. Is something happening?"

"Well my brothers have built something I think you'll love!" Candace exclaimed gleefully.

"A private shopping mall where everything is free?" Stacy asked. Like most teenage girls, Stacy was quite into fashion. _Besides_, she thought, _Phineas and Ferb have never built a shopping mall before._

"Ehh! Wrong answer. My brothers are building a Japanese-inspired village! Like one you would actually see in Asia! It'll have anime, lanterns, cuisine, performances, shrines and everything! Jenny's coming along too." Corrected Candace. Stacy's eyes lit up. She had cousins in Japan and Candace had told her how she met them when Phineas and Ferb went around the world in an attempt to make it around the world in the time of a single day. With something as cultural-sounding as this and her knowledge of Japanese culture and ethnicity, it sounded super fun. Though she did give a puzzled frown when she heard Candace mention Jenny. Jenny barely interacted with Stacy even though they were friends. Jenny was always out doing environmental things and they hadn't really hung out in what seemed like half a summer. Plus there was another factor that made Stacy confused...

"Jenny's coming? Really? Did she give you the help you needed yesterday?" Stacy questioned. Yesterday, Candace had asked Stacy at this same time of day for help on what sounded like some kind of camera... and Perry. Stacy had to use the 'crinkling paper' trick and suggesting Jenny as another contact to get out of that recently sensitive topic. Stacy had discovered Perry's double-life as a secret agent in a very freakish and almost surreal incident. But she had given her word to keep it secret, especially since if it was ever ousted Perry would be relocated. _Though thinking about it now I wonder what Candace was talking about, _Stacy pondered.

"Oh boy did she. Did you know she's really good with a boomerang? Wait... getting off-topic. Anywho, think you can come over?" Candace was full of enthusiasm today and didn't even mention busting her brothers. Plus with the whole idea of it being Japanese-themed...

"'Think I can?' More like 'of course I can'! Sounds like a blast. I'll have to ask my mother though." Stacy mentioned. Candace was a bit confused at this.

"Doesn't your mother know by now that Phineas and Ferb are trustworthy?" She asked. Stacy thought for a minute on how to reply for what she said implied that something was going on in her life.

"It's not that, I just always need permission to go out and about, especially when I'm alone. Plus there was that weird thing that happened yesterday? Didn't you hear that they said the sky turned red and every door was locked and-"

"Yeah that was something else. But then again I've seen stranger things with my brothers. So see you soon!" Candace interrupted for she knew exactly what had went on yesterday. Dr. Doofensmirtz used his ConjureInator to cause mayhem in Danville. Jenny and Candace stepped in and kicked his butt with the help of a conjuration of their own (That was kind of hunky). There was also a lot of other things that happened, or more appropriately, that they discovered yesterday but soon Stacy would know about them. Candace hung up the phone and sighed a breath of relief.

"While the thing your brothers are building is genuine, don't you feel a bit bad basically luring Stacy over here like that?" Jenny asked who had been staring out the window and overseeing what Candace's brothers were doing. Jenny was a pretty brunette with a flower in her hair, and very summery clothes. She was honest, noble, polite, passionate about the enviroment without being too feisty, and gentle. She recognized what Candace was doing and was voicing her concern.

"Well going by what you said, I figured if I mentioned Perry she wouldn't want to come again. Or at least we really need her to come over today, while those pictures are still fresh in our mind." Candace replied. Indeed, the whole adventure of the camera began when Candace ventured into the Fan-Fiction Fantasizer on her own, overdid it on the levels, and successfully completed the 'Fireside Princess'. This novel was brought to life by the machine and was written by Isabella, a Fireside Girl and close friend. Candace met the mysterious Narrator who told her how to return things back to normal and also helped her find the said camera. It was a white camera but the photos in it were absolutely stunning. And not in the beautiful way though they were quite beautifully taken anyway. The pictures showed images of Danville when it didn't even look like Danville, Perry being the Mysterious Lover 24/7, Candace being in one of them when she couldn't even recall it, several mysterious men including two men who seemed to have been the ones to erase their memories, her brothers in all of them, and familiar inventions. A few days after Candace successfully completed the 'Fireside Princess', and was nearly mortified from being forced to kiss Perry, she contacted Stacy to finally peer into the camera. Stacy rejected after sounding fascinated until she heard Candace mention 'Perry' and so Candace turned to Jenny. Jenny was very open and even glad to participate and the two of them started reasoning and figuring out the mysteries of the camera. They had decided that they needed to get Stacy involved, judging that her reaction may have suggested she knew something. They had also bonded a lot in that one day so they trusted one another greatly.

"I am kind of looking forward to seeing this Japanese town though. Japan has such a beautiful, rich connection with nature in their religions and festivities." Jenny said pleasantly, turning towards Candace and clasping her hands together.

"And ANIME! Stacy's told me so much about it and I'm thinking of checking it out. I am dying to cosplay!" Candace confessed. _I don't know much about that part of Japanese culture though_, Jenny thought. She then peered towards the computer. The computer had saved the photos from the camera and was where they saw the photos for the first time. They were planning on showing Stacy these pictures to better explain their position but would Stacy take it well?

"I wonder if Stacy does actually know something. I admit that my reasoning is logical but maybe a bit far-fetched. She did mention those strange happenings though so she must've been aware of some things." Jenny said. Candace gulped. _That's what I'm worried about too,_ she thought. She hoped Stacy's feelings wouldn't be hurt at the fact Candace and Jenny practically lured her here to make sure she couldn't back out of it. But the Narrator had really wanted Candace to uncover the truth and seeing what potential information lied within the pictures she was willing to take big chances and make mistakes.

"Um... so Candace. Did you ever ask your brothers about the camera?" Jenny inquired. Candace face-palmed.

"DRATS! I knew I was forgetting something. We better go." Candace said rushing out the door. Jenny followed suit with nimbleness and grace. Eventually the two friends reached the fabled backyard where Phineas and Ferb had been building inventions for the past few summers (At least it felt like a few summers). Phineas and Ferb were currently hard at work constructing what appeared to be a Torii gate. Candace stopped in her tracks in some confusion and Jenny stopped as well though she actually smiled and said,

"Ooh I love Torii Gates! They have such significance to the Shinto-"

"You there, little brothers. I asked for a Japanese-based town, not a mere gate!" Candace shouted, interrupting Jenny. Jenny just held her arms out in a 'oh well' sort of way and looked as Candace approached Phineas and Ferb and put her hands on her hips. Phineas was the optimistic one and Ferb was the quiet one. Phineas had no accent while Ferb had a British accent that the Narrator adopted. But both were inseparable and together they made miracles. Phineas, usually speaking for the both of them, responded,

"Oh hey Candace. Don't worry this is just the entrance-way to the real town." Candace looked a bit surprised at this. Normally they would build the actual town in an instant and not some entrance-way first. Like when they built arenas or stadiums or obstacle courses. _Maybe they are trying a new technique or something_, Candace thought. The mystery of the camera had caused her to not keep such a close eye on her brothers as before. So lately she hadn't been able to get a chance to bust her brothers or see what they were up to. Thus she wasn't sure what her brothers had been up to. It was a sacrifice that was hard to take for Candace.

"Oh like a portal?" Jenny suggested, holding a finger up. Phineas nodded.

"This is the same kind of technology used to craft the time machines. This transports you to a whole other world that we built already. The town is called Hirano. It will feature a shopping district on the same level as Harajuku, will feature fine dining and cherry blossom trees, and everything Japanese. Oh and it's totally free for everyone of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities." He explained. _He would make a great advertiser someday,_ Jenny thought. Candace looked complacent for she heard something that made her suspicious.

"What do you mean free for everyone?" She asked cautiously. Ferb stepped in this time.

"We've invited all of Danville to come over if they wanted to." He spoke. His accent was clear and quite poetic. It was another reminder to Candace as to why the Narrator had picked his voice. Also, Candace was touched at how courteous Phineas and Ferb behaved by inviting Danville. True this was mostly built to get Stacy to come over so they could talk to her, but it wouldn't exactly be fair if nobody else got to partake in it too? Plus if it was a replica of a Japanese town then if it was just Candace, Stacy, Jenny, Phineas, Ferb, and likely Buford, Baljeet, and Isabella, it'd be like a ghost town.

"Great idea!" Jenny stated, showing approval of it. But then she turned her head towards Candace and gestured towards Phineas and Ferb. Candace at first didn't get what Jenny was trying to imply but then she immediately figured it out.

"Oh yeah! Before I forget again, Phineas and Ferb. I have a question of significant importance." She said, clasping her hands together in a way implying she was about to speak and was contemplating something. Phineas and Ferb gave their upmost attention towards her, as though she were a teacher teaching them something new in class.

"The question is... was there ever a time where you built an invention and took pictures of it? Where Perry and I were present? Possibly during the anniversary of his adoption?" Candace asked after struggling a bit trying to phrase the question. Jenny looked anxiously towards Phineas and Ferb to see what they would have to say. To her amazement, they looked quite confused, even mind-boggled. It was clear they were trying to come up with the answer but it looked like they didn't know what event or time Candace was asking them about. Just like Candace herself.

"Gosh Candace... I don't know. All I know about the anniversary was that it was kind of... odd. I mean we had made such big plans the day before and before I knew it the day had already flew by and we didn't build anything. Plus we've never had a photo studio or anything involving cameras before. Besides the 'Curse of the Princess Monster' of course." Phineas stammered, scratching the back of his head guilty. He felt bad that he hadn't been able to recall something for his sister. Jenny looked confused at Phineas's mention of 'Curse of the Princess Monster'.

"What's 'Curse of the Princess Monster'?" She asked Candace. Candace grimaced at that question. _It was SUPPOSED to be 'Princess Sensibilities'_, she thought.

"It's just this movie Phineas and Ferb directed and I was the lead. It wasn't exactly an Oscar-worthy movie to begin with. I was a princess cursed by... come to think of it how did that princess get cursed in the first place?" Candace asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Ask the screenwriters I guess?" Phineas offered. Candace turned to face an angle that was clearly the fourth wall and was about to say something but then decided against it and returned to face Phineas and Ferb.

"It's unimportant at the moment. Thank you for trying though. So now we just-"

"Hey Candace! And... Jenny." Stacy's excited voice rang out as the teen entered the backyard through the gate. Jenny bit her lip, knowing she would have to also appeal to Stacy and make up for the times she had not been able to hang out with her. Candace was very glad to see her though and ran over and hugged her.

"Stace! So glad you could come! Haven't seen you in... well..." Candace trailed off in her commotion.

"A day at the most." Stacy answered. She looked at Jenny with a neutral expression. She was just as unsure about Jenny's place as a friend as Candace had been. So she was surprised to hear that after one day Jenny had apparently really bonded with Candace. Of course there were times where that happened but that was usually in some little girl afterschool special. Still, if Jenny had indeed helped Candace, then that definitely earned her some points with Stacy too.

"Hiya Stacy! We are almost finished making the portal to Hirano. You can hang out with your friends until then. Anyone who got our invitation and wanted to come will probably get in line but you are very important people so you don't have to wait in line." Phineas explained the status report to Stacy. Stacy put a hand to her heart, impressed by Phineas's courtesy and also by something else.

"You named it after me? Wow... that's pretty cool. I'm now a hundred-percent sold on this. So what should we do to pass the time Candace? Jenny?" Stacy said gratefully. Candace and Jenny looked at one another in concern. They had managed to get Stacy to come over but how would they explain the situation at hand to her? The Fan-Fiction Fantasizer? The events of yesterday? That mysterious camera? The fact they had deceived Stacy quite a bit in order for her to come over? Jenny decided to speak up,

"Well we have agreed to pass the time by hanging out in Candace's room. Is that ok?" Stacy looked at Jenny with a strange expression. _Was she always so formal?_ She thought. Her posture, her tone, it was all quite elegant and composed. Stacy was impressed. Jenny was in the same boat as Stacy by not having a boyfriend but with such beautiful manners and courtesy it'd be hard to believe if she didn't find a boyfriend soon.

"You bet!" Stacy said positively. She then headed towards the house. Candace and Jenny smiled and watched her proceed through the doorway. They were about to follow Stacy when a very familiar catchphrase was said by Phineas,

"Hey, where's Perry?" The reactions between Stacy and the pair of Jenny and Candace were both quite distinct. Stacy pretended that she hadn't heard that and slightly shuddered and continued climbing up the stairs. Jenny and Candace looked at one another nervously. Both knew something about Perry that the other didn't and in the case of Candace and Jenny, they were going to find out more about the household pet. But could they handle the truth?

Speaking of Perry, the semi-aquatic egg-laying mammal of action was already in his base, having accessed it while Candace and Jenny were calling Stacy and Phineas and Ferb were building. He was sitting in the seat of the hi-tech secret headquarters with a metallic, futuristic vibe and palette. Major Monogram, headman of the organization Perry worked for, was on the screen. He was a rather old-looking man but had the firmness and experience of a leader. Even with a secret organization name like O.W.A.C.A (Organization Without a Cool Acronym), he helped make it an extremely efficient, crime-fighting unit.

"Good morning Agent P, I'm glad to see you have improved in keeping your cover since that 2nd Dimension fiasco." He opened with a rather personal statement. Perry's face only grew a bit more serious. The 2nd Dimension was the day that Phineas and Ferb had helped Dr. Doofensmirtz open a portal to the said world... and that Perry was busted. It had been a grueling ordeal but they managed to save the day and return things back to normal. He had even earned the acceptance of his owners (Mostly just Phineas and Ferb though, Candace had her mind on other things at that time) for a brief moment. They had their memories erased in order for Perry to stay with them. Ironically, on the morning of that day, Major Monogram had warned Perry that his cover had been nearly been blown several times. So maybe that was a very potent jinxing that caused those events. Either way Perry would not forget that day and was relieved he had been allowed to stay with his owners. So he listened patiently to what Major Monogram had to say.

"So we have received some unique information on your owner's invention for the day. They are building a sort of portal to a Japanese-style town in the shape of one of those gate thingies you'd see in Japan. Anyways, it seems harmless but surprisingly enough, they invited most of Danville to come over and Dr. Doofensmirtz not only got an invitation but also accepted it. It is likely he might be up to another one of his schemes so you know what to do." Perry looked very puzzled. Why would Dr. Doofensmirtz want to go there? Even if it was for something like vacation, why go to his owner's invention? He had been made to forget about the events too but mostly because he could not be allowed to know the owner's of his nemesis. So it just seemed like a strange coincidence. The fact it was also one of Phineas and Ferb's inventions meant another thing too. They would be there and possibly more of Phineas and Ferb's friends. Hopefully Stacy was coming along but even so, he still had to keep a close eye and remain hidden. Major Monogram seemed to sense his concern, though didn't know anything about his connection with Stacy, and said,

"Don't worry Agent P, we have prepared a unique disguise that will not only be functional and comfortable, but also fit the culture of Japan. So you will blend in almost a frightening manner. It's right next to you." Agent P looked over and indeed saw a cardboard box wrapped with ribbon that said 'Samurai Disguise' on it. Samurais were high-ranked military nobles in ancient Japan and so they definitely fit in with the whole Japanese theme. Although, Perry couldn't shake the feeling that there would be something off about this disguise. But his thoughts were interrupted by a surprisingly morbid sounding Major Monogram.

"Agent P, before you go off to stop Dr. Doofensmirtz I am giving you a warning. This is a warning being given to all agents. I'm sure you recall Agent Lyla?" He challenged Perry to remember her. Perry did remember her. Everything from their first failure at being co-agents to their recent successful team-up. Agent Lyla's unique way of thinking was definitely not for everyone but it had it's moments. Plus she was still as potent at hand-to-hand combat as any other agent. But did something happen to her?

"Agent Lyla's nemesis told her some startling information. It seems he was approached by an 'alliance of evil' to join them but he rejected it. He says this alliance consists of a L.O.V.E.M.U.F.F.I.N member, a secret agent's nemesis from the States, and someone with their own agenda. He didn't know what they were planning but it seems they might try to attack us from within or conquer us. Which is scary enough to make you sleep with a night-light on." He heightened Perry's nerves even more with these words. Perry didn't hear about this and Doofy probably would've told Perry if he was joining or had joined some kind of alliance. Also, one of those descriptions sounded vaguely familiar...

"I know you may be trying to decipher who they are but leave that to us. You're mission is to protect Danville from Dr. Doofensmirtz'... attempts. But stay on your guard and call for help if you see three evil-doers around." Major Monogram commanded. Perry shook off his nerves and did a military salute, beckoning to Major Monogram. No matter what, he would not fail. Or at least not without a fight.

So the third chapter in the Writer's Blockade storyline continues. Hopefully it's as good as a movie series that has had an awesome third movie. XD So I placed another warning just for newcomers since the most recent story appears in the first page when looking up fan-fictions and to be safe. So yes Phineas and Ferb have built a Japanese-styled town and it would be cool if they did build something like that in the show or had a Japanese-themed episode. So this episode may have a lot of references to anime and stuff so when the time comes and you don't know who or what I am referencing be free to ask questions ^_^. Also please review if you can, it's important for a writer to get feedback so that they could better themselves. Plus I've written like 6 stories on FF already so it would be nice if there's anything I may be struggling in or if there's been a recurring problem. Thank you. So Stacy is about to get quite a lot of information from Jenny and Candace. Will this be the first obstacle in keeping Perry's identity secret or the last? What will her reaction be to the camera and Candace's story? Will she find Candace's forced marriage and kiss to Perry hilarious? Find out on Chapter 2! Even in a storyline I take no ownership of the material used and all copyright belongs respectfully and eloquently to Phineas and Ferb and Disney. ARIGATOOOOOOO!~ XD


	2. Intellectual Conversation

Busting of Regret Part 2

By Lolitafreak88

Eventually all three friends were now in Candace's room. Stacy had arrived first of course but was surprised that as soon as Candace and Jenny walked into the room, they made sure the door and window were closed firmly. Candace even inserted a towel under the door, as though to prevent smoke from getting into the room.

"Uh Candace? Jenny? What's with the extra security? It's not like we're preparing a shelter or something." Stacy pointed out. Not only was it making her feel claustrophobic but it also made her feel more tense. It was like they were making sure no one could interfere with what they were about to do or hear what they were going to say. It definitely had the appearance of a security measure which did not calm Stacy's nerves. In fact, with the mysterious mention of 'Perry' yesterday, it was accelerating them. Jenny spoke first,

"I'm sorry Stacy. We are just going to have an intellectual conversation and we don't really want anyone else listening in on it." _Intellectual conversation?_ Stacy found that a very funny way to describe any sort of talk. It sounded like things old guys in lab coats did at a board meeting or something Dr. Doofensmirtz would do with other pharma... _DOCTORS. That was a close one._

"Um, intellectual how?" Stacy asked. She had been sitting on Candace's bed with Candace standing up and Jenny heading towards the computer. Jenny sat down and flipped her hair in an elegant fashion so it wasn't in her face. So Stacy set one hand down comfortably on the bed and raised her other arm to indicate she wanted clarification. Candace gulped nervously. _This is now or never and I am really considering never._

"Well... a few days ago I made an incredible discovery that led to another incredible discovery and we realize we need your assistance." Candace opened with an eloquent statement. Stacy now felt confused. They were making it sound like they were the chosen ones or video game characters on some kind of noble quest. It was not normal... but then again so was most other things in Stacy's life.

"So what was the first incredible discovery about?" Stacy questioned. Candace suddenly grew a sad expression and looked to Jenny who was setting something up on the computer.

"Do you mean I have to tell her everything again? It was hard enough the first time. Plus I don't want 'THAT' to get around..." Candace whined hesitantly to Jenny. She was definitely concerned about telling Stacy about the undeniable truth of Perry being the Mysterious Lover and it was also a lot of hard work telling Jenny about that Fan-Fiction Fantasizer adventure.

"Oh don't worry Candace. Since when has Stacy ever been a gossip?" Jenny remarked. Stacy wasn't sure if that was an underhanded insult or just a general statement. Not hanging out with Jenny for a long time had that effect. Jenny knew that Stacy knew a lot of people and that was even how she was able to go to a luxury spa. Before Candace got caught-up in Philanthropy anyway. But Candace seemed to agree with Jenny's opinion and taking a deep breath, for she was about to do a lot of speaking, she turned to Stacy.

"Ok, my brothers built this invention called the Fan-Fiction Fantasizer-" She began but Stacy already interrupted.

"Fantasizer? You mean like thinking... strangely?" She commented.

"Well yes... but it wasn't that bad actually. You basically insert a story into it, choose a level, and you will be transported into the world of that said story and interact in it as a character. Thankfully the story was written by Isabella who still has her innocence so I was safe. So anyways I decided to use it while my brothers weren't looking." Candace continued. Stacy folded her arms and smiled proudly. She had heard a detail that made her quite proud of Candace.

"Kudos on not trying to bust your brothers that time. Although the 'going behind their back' thing is a bit off-putting sometimes." Stacy said. Candace considered what Stacy just said. After everything that happened, the realization that her decision to not bust her brothers and use their invention had resulted in life-changing results. It had changed her view of the world, of her brother's inventions, of Perry, and eventually Jenny. _If I had just busted them for it there and then,_ she thought, _I probably wouldn't feel as satisfied as I do now... _It was actually the first pleasant thought she had all day. It kind of made her feel... equal to her brothers on some degree. Or that she was really bored that time and just wanted to use the Fan-Fiction Fantasizer and it was just a big coincidence. _Though I didn't see Kevin so that was a good sign,_ Candace thought. Kevin was a strange talking zebra that popped up on unusual and random occasions. His only purpose seemed to be a reminder that Candace was going insane and-

"Um Candace, perhaps you should continue." Jenny interrupted Candace's thoughts. Candace had gotten quite lost in her thoughts and apologized,

"Oopsie. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Ok so I naively chose 'Go All the Way Level' on the Fan-Fiction Fantasizer which turned all of Danville and the entire world into the world of Isabella's story." Stacy's eyes widened. Usually Phineas and Ferb's inventions didn't have such drastic effects. Though the ones she had participated in were mostly fun-related and not science-related.

"What was the name of Isabella's story?" Stacy questioned. She was feeling a bit more comfortable with the situation now.

"Oh yeah it was 'Fireside Princess'. Obvious reference to her being a Fireside Girl. It was a romance/adventure kind of story and can't be found on websites. Sorry guys." Candace turned to the Fourth Wall again for some odd reason before Stacy cleared her throat. Candace gasped and quickly returned her attention to Stace as though she were an army lieutenant.

"Anyways, so I then found myself in the 'Realm Above the Books' and I met the Narrator. He's basically this omniscient flying book with Ferb's voice and was surprisingly likable and also helped me alot. He told me of my major error and that it was up to me to correct it by completing the story to a satisfying conclusion. He told me I was the 'Fireside Princess' and also told me of some of the roles though he conveniently left out one particular role that left me bamboozled." Candace tensed remembering that nightmarish moment. When she had saw Perry was her Mysterious Lover and not Jeremy for the first time. She remembered her meltdown and lamenting over having to kiss Perry although she eventually got over it.

"What was that role? Also, who was I in the story? Was I like your fairy godmother?" Stacy asked, sucked into Candace's story.

"I'll get to that later. Anyways so he told me some more rules including that I had to sing an array of musical numbers and it started. I was in my castle, the princess wasn't doing anything about a blockade, blah, blah, blah, and then the villain Alchemist Heinz and... hey..." Candace suddenly stopped. She had suddenly realized something very uncanny about that Alchemist Heinz. As well as a contradiction.

"OMG! I just realized something. Dr. Doofensmirtz was Alchemist Heinz in the story!" Candace practically screamed her discovery. Jenny immediately reacted toward Candace.

"Wait... really? How did you not recognize him then?" She asked.

"Well the Alchemist Heinz had a medieval entire... and magical powers. Besides, the Dr. Doofensmirtz we met looked and acted a lot goofier or at least less focused than the Alchemist version of him I saw. But I don't recall seeing him before and yet the Narrator chose him to be an antago... oh wait. I actually might've met him before." Candace was practically saying her train of thought. Stacy was now on edge again. _She's met Dr. Doofensmirtz?_ Stacy had indeed met the hunchbacked doctor when he and Perry took their fight to her house. She had unintentionally scared him away due to getting spilled grease on herself (That Perry's secret organization's crew actually managed to clean up nicely) and he didn't seem that threatening. But that was part of her secret to Perry. So why did Candace know him?

"What do you mean? Wh-what Dr. Doofensmirtz?" She asked. She was able to channel most of her confusion at why Candace knew him into her tone as opposed to guilt for knowing him herself and having to pretend she didn't know him.

"He's just this hunchbacked spy movie reject of a mad scientist and he's Vanessa's dad apparently. Though I've never seen the two of them together really... Anyways, I now recall that I delivered him goodies when I was trying to become a Fireside Girl and break that patch record. I wonder why I didn't think of it till now?" Candace pondered to herself, tapping her finger against her cheek. Jenny had a surprisingly sarcastic response to that,

"Perhaps because you were too busy trying to become a Fireside Girl that you completely forgot about it afterward." Candace rolled her eyes though in a loving way for Jenny did not have any malice in that joke. It was true that she was only trying to become a Fireside Girl, or at least get a ton of badges in one day, to win a trip to a concert though it had still been quite an empowering experience. Plus she did one of the things Phineas and Ferb wanted to do this summer for them. 'Find something that doesn't exist'.

"Yeah, that was quite an adventure. Ok, so anyways he hijacked the castle and you showed me a way out through a secret passage for you were a lady-in-waiting of mine." Candace said next. Stacy looked a bit miffed at the last bit.

"Lady-in-waiting? Does the Narrator think I am waiting for something or what?" She demanded. Of course she knew that a lady-in-waiting was an attendant to royalty, usually the princess or queen, but she found it demeaning that the Narrator assigned her THAT role as opposed to some other cool role Stacy could have like a fairy godmother or sister.

"I'm relatively sure it's because you and Candace get along so well. I was supposedly one of those lady-in-waitings too. The other two I don't really know though..." Jenny added. _And they don't need to,_ Candace thought, remembering how Mandy and Wendy were her other lady-in-waitings.

"Ok, after I got out, I got some advice from the Narrator before I was attacked by the minions of Alchemist Heinz. I was saved though by my Mysterious Lover..." Candace's voice trailed off and she bit her lip. Stacy clapped her hands together and rubbed them, clearly looking forward to this.

"Oh, ho, hoh. This is probably going to be my favorite part." She said. Being Candace's friend and knowing that Jeremy was the obvious pick for Candace's love interest, she wanted details on how he looked at that time. Jenny put a finger to her chin and looked at Candace nervously. Candace looked like she was being squished to death as her whole body was tense and she was quivering at the mouth. She was clearly struggling with something.

"Uh, are you ok Candace?" Stacy asked concerned. Candace finally groaned and said in the meekest of voices,

"My Mysterious Lover was... Perry."

"SAY WHAT?!" Stacy exclaimed in complete shock and astonishment. Two things popped into her mind instantaneously. _One, so 'this' is why Candace was mentioning Perry yesterday. Two, poor Candace._ In her opinion, Perry was kind of hot... for an animal... secret agent... in a general way. Plus he had great style with that fedora of his and his athletic prowess and mature, calm attitude was something most girls wanted out of a human guy. But Candace had Jeremy who was definitely her type while Perry was not Candace's type at all and was an animal. She could only sympathize with how mortifying that moment must've been. But there was one good thing that came out of this...

"Wow Candace, I know you want two kids named Xavier and Amanda but whew! You are really going for the touchdown. Plus you already have Jeremy while me and Jen have no men in our life so did you really have to get a second guy? And your pet platypus on top of that? My, my, my." She teased with the biggest of grins. Jenny managed to maintain a poker face though she did find Stacy's teasing amusing and expected. Candace grabbed a nearby pillow and stuffed her face into it.

"No, no, nooooo! That's not it at all! I was framed! I was hoodwinked! I do NOT have feelings for Perry! Besides why would I date someone I switched bodies with? That's like... well... like something else that's also awkward!" She wailed in embarrassment.

"Are you sure? Maybe you have some hidden tastes in guys that you aren't telling us." Stacy finished her teasing with a wink. Candace groaned again and laid down on the bed, taking the pillow off her face.

"Anyways... indeed. My dim-witted pet platypus was my Mysterious Lover. Best day ever. Still, the Narrator said it was so that he could show me another side to Perry I was unaware of." She explained. Stacy's grin evaporated at these words. _'Another side'?_

"Wh-what do you mean?" She asked.

"Well for starters he was standing on his hind legs like a human, was wearing a tank-top and jeans in addition to a fedora, and he had this serious expression on his face. It was like he became a furry... but on the inside really. He was very sweet to me though and he did prove of valuable assistance." Told Candace. Stacy broke down Candace's words. That description fit the secret agent side of Perry just like a puzzle piece. So Candace had seen the secret agent side of Perry as the Mysterious Lover? Granted she probably didn't realize that was how Perry was in real-life and assumed that he had just become a character. So Perry's identity was still unknown to Candace. Although still, a cover blown is a cover blown and Stacy was now getting an uneasy feeling.

"Could you continue with the story please?" Stacy asked, suddenly feeling like she needed to go find and warn a certain platypus. Jenny raised an eyebrow at this but said nothing at the moment. Candace nodded and went on,

"So turns out he was one of the leader of the rebels along with Isabella. Phineas, Ferb, Buford, Baljeet, and the Fireside Girls were among the rebels. They had been having a really hard time trying to oust Alchemist Heinz and for a while I wasn't really pinching in and I was also not trying to get to know Perry as the Mysterious Lover. When reality finally hit me in the face I realized I had to do something. So I got Izzy to help me... flirt with Perry." Stacy, realizing she was sounding a bit too tense as she noticed Jenny's eyebrow raise managed to lighten the mood.

"Was his musk THAT addictive or was that just a requirement from the Narrator?" She asked playfully. Candace sighed and Jenny chuckled a bit.

"It was a requirement. So then I finally came up with an idea to make these Teleport T.V's to get into the castle and take down Alchemist Heinz in a coordinated attack. Also, there was something that the Narrator wanted me to find which was that camera I mentioned yesterday-"'

"Huh? Really? Where did he get it from and where did you find it?" Stacy interrupted Candace. To be honest she was interested in learning more about this 'camera' for that was the first time Candace had mentioned it. But she had also mentioned 'Perry had something to do with it' which could mean basically anything. She just hoped it didn't mean something about Perry's double-life.

"Well he said he found it as he was creating the world of the City of Love and-"

"Wait? City of Love? As in Paris? But Isabella had a miserable time there, or so I've heard. Why did she name it after that?" Stacy interrupted yet again, this time with a random comment. Candace had told Stacy about Isabella's woes in the City of Love so Stacy found it strange that Isabella would name the fictional city something like that.

"Unimportant at the moment Stace. Anyways it was in this Secret Room that can be actually summoned by a very out-of-the-box method. It had lots of mementos and pictures of me in it as well as the camera. It was pure white and spotless." Candace said, flapping her hand as though to 'shoo' away the reply to Stacy's question. _Sounds like a beautiful room,_ Stacy thought. Candace smiled at Stacy's own smile but then she looked down, as though in shame.

"Then after I got out of the room you came to me and... well... betrayed me by locking me up in my own room without any means of escape." She admitted. Stacy's eyes widened and she looked quite horrified at such a prospect.

"WHAT? I would never betray you in a million years! Why... why did I?" She put a hand to her heart as she said this. She could feel the distinct beats of her heart. It seemed to remind her that part of it was true. She was betraying Candace's trust by keeping Perry's identity a secret from her and having to pretend she didn't know anything. _This was in a story Stace_, she told herself, _not real-life. No way of knowing._

"Well that was my fault actually. I alienated you guys and Alchemist Heinz took advantage of it. Fortunately, the rebels managed to escape and they planned to save me and when the moment arrived, they helped to rescue me and OH! I had this awesome dress that had like magical powers although it looked like Neapolitan ice cream." Candace said excitedly.

"I know a parlor that has a beautiful all-natural version of that flavor." Jenny commented.

"And surprisingly it looked good on me. So anyways we defeated Alchemist Heinz, I completed the story to a satisfying conclusion, and after the worst moment of my life I was able to return home with the camera." Candace finished. Stacy clapped happily for her, as though she really were a storyteller. But there was one thing she was interested in.

"What do you mean by 'worst moment of my life' girl?" Stacy asked.

"There's no other way to say it so I'm just going to say it! I married Perry and he tried to French Kiss me!" Candace answered as soon as Stacy finished her question. Stacy's jaw dropped and her eyes widened.

"Didn't see that one coming. So... is he a better kisser than Jeremy?" She asked with a giggle at the end. Candace glared at Stacy and fumed silently, indicating Stacy was stepping on dangerous ground.

"Ok, ok never mind. So, glad everything turned out well. Sorry I betrayed you. I really do trust you and care for you as a friend." Stacy said.

"Yeah I know you would never do that to me in the real, much less fictional world." Candace said with a smile. Stacy had to admit that she was very proud of Candace for doing all that. It was her being adventurous and actually making the most out of her summer for the first time in months. She did it all on her own and was even rewarded for it with that said camera. Speaking of which...

"So what happened yesterday when you looked into it, with Jenny?" Stacy asked, readjusting herself on the bed. Candace looked to Jenny in case she wanted to say something but then noticed her fiddling around on the computer.

"Uh, Jen? What are you looking at?" Candace asked confused.

"Articles on platypus reproduction. You can go ahead, I'll join in if I feel I would best be able to explain something." Jenny replied casually. Now it was Stacy's turn to raise her eyebrow and Candace chuckled nervously.

"Um ok, so after my phone call to you I did contact Jenny and she came over. We discussed some early theories and Phineas and Ferb revealed that they helped build some mystery-inspired games for us to warm up our brains." Candace said.

"Wait, do Phineas and Ferb know about the camera?" Stacy asked. Phineas and Ferb were a bit more... composed than Candace and possibly Jenny. But they were also closer to Perry too so if Phineas and Ferb had some hint or knowledge about Perry that Candace and Jenny were concerned about_... It would make things even more complicated,_ Stacy thought. And if they found about Perry's secret agent status... it would be potentially disastrous. But Candace replied quite nonchalantly,

"No worries, they don't. A) Because I don't want to get my brothers involved and B) I vaguely asked them if they knew about a camera and they didn't know. Though what's very odd about this is something that'll come up later. So anyways, after we solved the puzzles and got a cool prize we suddenly noticed some crazy things. First of all, the sky had turned this freakish shade of red and then second of all..." She hesitated to say the next part but Stacy had seen them already from the comfort of her house and thought nothing of it really except that she might've been tired.

"Robot platypuses?" She suggested. Jenny practically jumped up in her seat and turned to face Stacy in confusion.

"H-how do you know that?" She practically spat out the question in shock. Stacy was a bit confused that they were so concerned about how she knew that. _It's like they thought I shut-in myself for the whole day yesterday, _she thought.

"I saw it from my house. But I took a nap after I saw the robot platypuses because I thought I was imagining them so I wouldn't know what happened afterward." She confessed. Candace nodded, as though she was judging the credibility of Stacy's reason for knowing.

"That's definitely possible. So then when we were about to warn our brothers, all of Danville was put under lockdown. To make a long explanation short and vague all the doors and windows in the Tri-State Area were locked." Candace said.

"My mother did mention something about that and so did Ginger. So wow, glad I took a nap then or else I would've been panicking." Stacy said, playing with her hair.

"So we gathered our fighting courage and Jenny gathered her Australian boomerang that she brought over to play with and we actually started fighting off the robot platypuses." Candace said. Jenny blushed a bit, likely out of humility, and Stacy stopped playing with her hair to compliment her friends.

"Wow! So you took matters into your own hands? Like a female protagonist of a video game or a detective? That's awesome! You did mention a boomerang Candace, so where did you get it Jenny?" She asked.

"Um... my dad had it in his museum and he lent it to me. Also I just happen to have fairly good aim with it. But for the record, they were ROBOT platypuses, not normal platypuses. I would never harm an animal, even if you paid me a billion dollars. Also whenever we'd defeat them, they would fade away like a mist. So we theorized they were magical in nature." Jenny said, explaining some of what happened yesterday to Stacy in the process. Stacy had to admit that it was starting to sound like it was one of Dr. Doofensmirtz schemes, considering that he could build basically anything and no one else was twisted enough to cause things like that to happen. Plus he was in the best position to make models of Perry as a robot or something so it seemed like an obvious answer. Then, wait, if they took matters into their own hands surely they would've found Dr. Doofensmirtz and Perry fighting wouldn't they? They had mentioned Doofensmirtz already but they still seemed as clueless about secret agent Perry as ever. Or at least, they weren't discussing that or telling Stacy that so had Perry been able to hide or disguise himself? _Maybe he blended in with all the other platypuses until Candace and Jenny saved the day,_ Stacy thought. Candace's next statement confirmed this idea,

"So we found Dr. Doofensmirtz and he told us that he was Vanessa's dad and that he had built a ConjureInator which was what was causing all the weird things to happen. We managed to use it against him though for we summoned a creature of our own who was able to stall him long enough for us to destroy the machine and then we saved the day. Also the creature was like this hunky dragon sort of thing." _So they didn't see Perry at all because they were too focused on destroying the Inator... that's good, _thought Stacy.

"Afterward, we returned to Candace's adobe and then we finally looked into the camera after saving the pictures to the computer. We were... flabbergasted by what we saw. But we got more information than ever and I returned home after looking into the camera." Jenny finished up for Candace. Stacy folded her arms. Remembering how Candace described the camera as being related to Perry and the reputation cameras had meant that they might've seen something.

"So... what did you two see?" She asked. Jenny finally stood up from the chair after going back to a certain screen on the computer. She gestured towards the computer looking at Stacy and said,

"See for yourself." Stacy was nervous, more for herself than Perry. Perry definitely had NOT mentioned any sort of camera to her unless it was something the Narrator may have come across or created on his own. Then Perry would have no clue about it. What could be in these pictures? Sitting herself in the seat, she clicked on the first picture and watched in some horror as it enlarged and showcased itself to her.

"HUH?! WHAT?! Is that..?!" Stacy nearly screamed, holding her hands to her mouth. In this picture was that of Phineas, Ferb, and Perry on a parachute or something with a skull. She assumed Jenny and Candace had thoroughly examined these pictures and so she was simply overviewing what she saw and not being fancy about it. So pure horror and confusion took over her as she saw the secret agent Perry being with Phineas and Ferb. Jenny stood solemnly, almost like a priest at a church and confirmed Stacy's question.

"That is Phineas Flynn, Ferb Fletcher, and Perry the Platypus." She said. Candace looked at Jenny weirdly.

"Did you have to use their full name?" She asked. Stacy turned to look at her two friends and attacked them with a barrage of questions,

"Wh-who took these pictures? Where are they? When were they taken?"

"We have reasoned that Perry was the photographer judging by his angles and poses in some of the shots. We also have assumed that they were taken in Danville though it might've been in an altered state on that day. They were likely taken on Perry's anniversary. We aren't a hundred-percent sure about where they were taken though and even the 'when-dunnit' is just an assumption though logical." Jenny, now in detective mode, answered Stacy's questions. Stacy was definitely worried now. Perry had been photographed in his secret agent form and Candace and Jenny had saw it and possessed the photos. If they looked deeper or if Stacy even slipped once, there was no doubt in her mind that they would find out about Perry. Although another concern slowly arose in Stacy's mind. Something less sympathetic.

"Hey wait. Perry took these pictures? And on his anniversary? Why didn't he let anyone know or how do we not know about it?" She asked. Genuine wonder about this camera was starting to take effect.

"You tell me! I can't remember anything about this. I mean I am the town buster so I am on top of nearly all of Phineas and Ferb's inventions. But yet I don't recall them ever taking pictures or Perry acting like the Mysterious Lover or even a camera! What's also strange is that I show up in a later pic!" Candace admitted. _What?!_

"We speculate our memories were erased of this event. Two mysterious men appear in the last picture and Perry, Phineas, and Ferb look emotional in it. There's also a machine present in the picture as well further increasing my suspicions." Jenny said. Stacy clicked to the next few photos and stopped at the one with Candace in it. Indeed Candace was there, in plain sight, with one of her usual skeptical expressions towards something her brothers were doing. And Candace claimed she didn't remember... _That was mentioned in that strange pamphlet that Perry gave me_. _If someone from his host family finds out he was a secret agent then everyone would have to have their memories erased or he'd be relocated._

"Has... h-has something like this happened before?" Stacy didn't realize she was speaking her immediate thoughts. Fortunately her tone and genuine question evaded suspicion.

"Not really. This is on the same level as time travel. Especially if you take into account Perry's appearance in these pictures and how no one remembers. Plus it's in Danville, don't you think at least someone would've known about this?" Candace replied in the form of more questions. Jenny's eyes blinked a few times.

"We haven't asked a general citizen about this... you have a point there. But I fear that if we were to ask a random person about this they wouldn't believe us or if we just told and showed them everything, they'd panic or gossip about it. Humanity is very sensitive nowadays." Jenny spoke in a philosophical way. Stacy was feeling very uncomfortable, even sick to her stomach. All this was suggesting a lot about Perry and few of it good. She skimmed through the rest of the pictures. Not bothered by the robots, and the scenery, or the fact that she didn't appear in any of the pictures, nor the weird monster, she wanted to see that last photo that Jenny mentioned. She indeed saw it and felt like she wanted to faint. There were two mysterious men but one of them she had seen before. One of them appeared to 'clean up' her house after her house got damaged in the brawl between Perry and Dr. Doofensmirtz. That one person was a man who spoke with authority and was intimidating. The guy with the white hair. _I should've gotten his name, _she thought in regret. Stacy clenched her fists and started processing all this information.

_No one remembers this. Perry took the pictures. That one guy who came to my house after the incident is in these pictures. Candace is in one of them and doesn't remember. Phineas and Ferb are in this and don't remember. The memory erasing must've happened before. This camera was found by the Narrator. Perry didn't tell me of the camera. Perry didn't tell me... this happened. Wait platypuses don't talk. I guess this means he didn't let me know this happened._

"So Stacy do you know anything about this? It's kind of what we've been meaning to ask you." Candace proposed. How could Stacy answer? This camera was something Perry deliberately failed to inform her about. She had accepted to help hide his secret without this in mind. She had naively assumed he was a pure and true secret agent when secret agents were... secret. What if Perry had just turned her into an accomplice for some grand scheme? What if Perry was using her to hide his identity further? Was Perry even using the family for housing? Had he...

"Hey Candace! Jenny! Stacy! Hirano is finished! Some people have already been allowed in but you can come in anytime you want." Phineas's voice rang from the other side of the door. Stacy snapped back to reality from hearing Phineas's cheery voice announcing that the town named after her was finished. Jenny smiled at the announcement though it was clear she had wanted to hear Stacy's opinion. Candace happily replied,

"Thanks Phineas! We better go, we can talk more about this later. Plus I am dying to stretch out my inner otaku."

"Otaku?" Jenny questioned, foreign to the term. As the two girls opened and walked out the door, Candace peered back inside when she saw that Stacy was still sitting awe-struck at the computer. Candace, oblivious to what mental processing Stacy had been through, commented.

"Uh Stace? Could you be a dear and close that window and join us? The moment's arrived." Stacy closed her eyes for a bit and then proceeded to do just that. She was thinking hard but this time thinking positively. _Stace, you are more than suspecting someone just because they kept something from you and so is Perry. He would never do something without a proper and justified reason. Besides, they only have theories and no definitive evidence of anything. I need to figure this out for myself and not jump to conclusions. I promised I'd keep his secret safe after all._

So this chapter is really the scene that sets the mood for what Candace, Stacy and Jenny intend to do and also gives Stacy some motivations of her own to join them. I was originally going to have Jenny question Stacy about her knowing something but this chapter was getting a bit TOO long so I'll save that part for a later chapter. I'd like to think that Stacy can keep a secret pretty good even if in the end credits scene of 'Happy Birthday Isabella' she obviously looked uncomfortable so yeah. Also next chapter will likely be the chapter with the song and also the big reveal of Hirano so look forward to that. ^_^ With Stacy suddenly realizing there's more to Perry that meets the eye, the time has come to really dive into this mystery. But what will await them in the town of Hirano? What was Perry's disguise? Also, what are the boys and their friends up to? Find out next time on Chapter 3! Once again I take no ownership of copyright and all material used belongs respectfully and eloquently to Phineas and Ferb and Disney. Thank you ^_^.


	3. Waking up in Hirano

Busting of Regret Part 3

By Lolitafreak88

The three friends entered the backyard to see a pretty amazing sight. There was a huge line of people that fit Phineas's description like a glove. All different shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. They were walking through the finished Torii gate and disappearing through it. It appeared as though there was some jelly-like substance in the gate for when people walked into it, the substance would wobble around much like gelatin. Candace had once made gelatin before with Jenny and Stace but it turned against her and she had to be saved by a combined group effort and a lot of H2O. A lot of the people looked familiar and Phineas, Ferb and his friends Isabella, Buford, Baljeet, and surprisingly Irving were directing traffic.

"Since when was the backyard turned into an airport?" Stacy asked. She was still slightly shaken from the revelations about Perry potentially deceiving her though her renewed trust in Perry from personally being entrusted this secret in the first place was helping to overcome that. So she decided to just be herself and that would be the best way to feel a bit more sure of herself and make the leftover uneasiness fade away. Candace was a bit surprised that this was how Phineas and Ferb were dealing with the people who came over. They were letting people enter in groups of at least 5 or 6.

"More like a line for a ride at the amusement park or that dumb Chez Platypus waiting line." Candace folded her arms as she muttered this. She and Jeremy were set to go try her brother's new restaurant that they made one time inspired by Perry but Buford would not let her in despite her clear V.I.P status. It was part of the reason she disliked Buford though he could be surprisingly dependable... if the situation called for it. Jenny looked shocked, and a bit disappointed.

"Y-Your brothers made a platypus-themed restaurant? Aww, I wish I could've gone. Did you serve insect larvae or at least made a creative menu inspired by their diet?" Jenny inquired. Candace suddenly felt like puking at the mention of insect larvae but held it together.

"Eh-heh, no." She said bluntly. She had unintentionally eaten some of that REVOLTING larvae when she switched bodies with Perry and... hmm?

"Come to think of it I just thought of something interesting." Candace said as she continued to watch people enter the gate. The tone of her voice was that of someone who had figured out a clue or a secret so Stacy suddenly felt nervous again.

"What?" She asked. But this time Jenny raised an arm up as though to indicate 'talk to the hand' but it was clear she meant for Candace to stop talking.

"May we discuss it later in a more private location? Like I said, these random people could easily jump to conclusions if they were to overhear our intellectual debate. It'd be wise to find a place in Hirano to discuss the mystery further." Jenny said. Stacy was a bit relieved that Jenny had stopped another prosecution. It felt like a prosecution when someone who gave their heart and soul to her was being the topic of debate and Stacy herself, was the one they were questioning. Though the fact Jenny mentioned she wanted to discuss the mystery further was still a buzz-kill.

"Oh joy." Stacy said under her breath. Fortunately no one heard her and even if they did it would have to wait for Phineas and Ferb came over to ask them something,

"So girls, are you coming along? Ferb just told me that while I was getting you three, this pharmacist went into Hirano bringing this relatively large-looking object with him that was cloaked in a white sheet." By now it was fairly obvious by that description who it was Ferb had seen.

"He must get out a lot more than I thought." Candace admitted.

"It does seem that way." Jenny agreed. Stacy decided to reply to Phineas instead of offer an opinion on Dr. Doofensmirtz.

"Yeah, we're on our way aren't we girls?" Stacy asked, turning to Candace and Jenny with a confident expression. Jenny and Candace blushed and giggled nervously to themselves after they realized they were discussing Dr. Doofensmirtz in front of Phineas who had no idea about it. Realizing Phineas was looking at them funny, they shook it off and resumed focus.

"Indeed we were. I hope they have cherry blossom trees. They have the most pure scent and they are some of the most beautiful blooms in Gaia's bouquet." Jenny said poetically and with a very happy smile.

"What she said." Candace said, still getting used to when Jenny had her hippie moments.

"Then please step right this way. Irving shall accompany you." Phineas gestured towards the gate and a very eager looking Irving. Phineas then walked off to tend to the line again. Candace and Stacy gulped and looked at one another uncomfortably. Irving was a big fan of Phineas and Ferb's inventions and had bothered them when they were trying to cook a special meal for Jeremy (That wound up becoming ice cream in the nick of time). So they were not fond of him, especially when compared to the other friends of Phineas and Ferb. But Jenny had not met him before so she just replied politely,

"Oh hello there Irving. Nice to meet you. I am Jenny Brown. I suppose you must know Candace and Stacy by now."

"You bet I do! I also know Phineas and Ferb too! They are AWESOME! I feel bad that I missed out on some of their recent inventions, like that fan-fiction one. I could've brought the fan-fiction I made and used it! It's about Phineas and Ferb taking me under their wing and showing me the ropes to building inventions." Irving chattered away happily. Candace rolled her eyes though Stacy nudged her to show at least some interest. _I don't like being reminded Phineas and Ferb have a fan boy who actually admires their inventions,_ Candace thought. _Where can I get my own?_

"On that note, Candace. Don't you think you should ask him if he may know of an invention involving Perry?" Jenny asked. She brilliantly realized that Irving knew a lot about Phineas and Ferb's invention and might be able to identify what Candace couldn't. Stacy raised an eyebrow. She honestly wasn't worried about Irving knowing anything. He was into Phineas and Ferb, not Perry. Candace's eyes lit up.

"That's a great idea Jenny! Good thinking. So Irving, is there a time where Perry was directly involved in an invention, and possibly involving cameras?" She asked. Irving replied quickly,

"Sorry Candace. I have a number of results for that but nothing combining 'cameras' and 'Perry'. Perhaps you should suggest that to Phineas and Ferb." Irving said and then started to lead the way. Jenny, Stacy, and Candace were dumbfounded at what he just said. More of how he said it than what he said. Stacy though bluntly stated,

"Yeah, I don't think Irving is going to be much help." She then followed him while Jenny and Candace looked on after him and Stacy.

"That's another thing I've realized about humanity lately. Some of them speak like they are computers." Jenny added and went on after them. Candace followed, not wanting to be left behind.

"Ok so even HE doesn't know. That means that the amnesia theory is plausible. But why would our memories be erased in the first place?" Candace asked Jenny. Even though they were passing a line of people, they were too anxious and in their own conversations to listen to them. So Candace and Jenny were able to chat amongst themselves.

"Like I mentioned, those two men must've been the culprits. They also dressed like they were important officials. So they could be involved with the government and since we established that there was likely some kind of battle or that all of Danville was involved, they erased everyone's memories to cover it up. Hopefully we'll be able to come up with a smoking pistol and figure things out." Jenny concluded. They finally caught up to Stacy and Irving stopped right in front of the gate, gesturing them to go inside. Jenny gulped.

"Suddenly I'm kind of nervous. I don't really get how it works." She admitted. Stacy was more easy-going.

"Nothing to worry about Jen. You just walk in and we'll probably be in a whole other world. Besides I'm ready to see the town I apparently inspired." She said. Candace nodded and all three girls stepped into the portal. It didn't feel as weird as the strange jelly-like illusion suggested, it was simply as though they were walking through the portal. On the other end was Hirano, and it was a sight to behold. The sight they saw was beautifully described by an awe-struck Jenny.

"Such a gorgeous moon bridge so long and elegant, and those buildings! Combing Japanese and Western styles into oriental opulence. Those roofs with the same essence of a martial arts film and so tall, the lights hanging in fair beauty, open streets full of mystery, temples, restaurants, all sorts of different buildings. It's absolutely incredible!" She exclaimed with the same detail she had given when she was fanta... err... describing the hunky dragon Candace summoned and Perry in the pictures. Indeed on the other end it looked like a postcard showcasing Japan. Shinden-Zukuri, Shoein-Zukuri, all sorts of ancient Japanese architectural styles were being used to maximum effectiveness. It was a visual masterpiece.

"Feels like my cousins are here with me." Stacy smiled. She was feeling a little teary-eyed at seeing what was practically a replica of Japan. She didn't really think about her cousins that much. Especially now that she was housing such a important secret in her head. But still, family was family and she was happy to have her little sister Ginger and her mother here with her. Her cousins were her cousins. _I wonder when I'll see them again, _she thought. As a tear slid down her face Candace looked concerned.

"OMG Stace are you ok? Those are tears of happiness right?" She asked. Stacy wiped the tear away with a fluid movement of her hand and gave her reply. Her reply was the most natural reply she had given all day to one of Candace's questions.

"Yes, this is a magical moment for me. Thank you for suggesting this to your brothers."

"Um... so where do we go?" Jenny asked. The landscape looked so inviting and giant but of course that also meant that there was likely a lot to discover and see. Where would they start?

"Hey ladies! Phineas and Ferb forgot to give you one of these." A gruff voice rang through the air behind them. Candace, Stacy, and Jenny turned around to see Buford, holding what looked like a brochure or at the very least a map in his hand. Buford, as mentioned before, was someone Candace disliked but had his moments of handiness and he was straight with people, almost to a fault. He had a very unique relationship with Baljeet who he would often bully but really did need in his life. So Candace just had a neutral view on him while Stacy had a lesser view of him and Jenny had the least.

"Um... who are you again?" Jenny inquired politely. Buford ignored Jenny and just handed the brochure to Candace who snatched it out of his hand with a on-guard expression.

"This will show you all the hot spots and stuff of Hirano. FYI, after we finally get everyone in here we are meeting at garden #435 to do fortune-readings." He explained, not bothering to make it sound exciting. _He would fail as a salesperson,_ Stacy thought. Buford then walked back through a Torii gate and disappeared. On that note, the girls noticed there was a Torii gate here that looked exactly like the one that was in the backyard so this must be the portal in and out of there.

"H-he ignored me..." Jenny said meekly. She was feeling a little peeved at that rude display of purposeful ignorance. Candace suddenly gasped and placed a hand on her cheek.

"OHMIGOSH! I've been so busy reasoning about the camera that I forgot to ask about where mom is! Eh, she probably went shopping or something." Candace instantly shrugged it off. Jenny then took the map out of Candace's hand and examined it. Normally Candace would've been a bit peeved but it was one of her friends and Jenny of all people so she let it go. Stacy was silently thanking the Mysterious Force (That Candace actually told her about) that the focus was taken off Perry for the moment.

"He wasn't joking about the number of gardens, there are five-hundred gardens, tons of places to eat, a few schools and museums, and a glamorous shopping district. I hope I can learn how to arrange flowers while I'm here." Jenny said.

"We HAVE to go shopping. Japan has the most fabulous stuff! Anime merchandise, cute collectibles, some really adorable fashions, and practically everything we have but twenty percent cuter!" Stacy rambled on happily. She was more than thrilled to tell her friends what Japan offered for the discriminating buyer. Candace face-palmed at Stacy's obvious reference.

"Um, we are in Hirano, not Japan Stace." Jenny corrected. Stacy's face fell for a bit but then returned to her carefree excitement.

"Oops. Sorry, I need to remember that." She said. Candace entered a thinking pose identical to Jenny's.

"I want to buy a Lolita dress and accessories. Ever since I've heard of it I wanted to give it a try. At least for Jeremy. Do you think Jeremy would like Lolita fashion?" Candace asked. Stacy wasn't sure how to respond to that because Lolita fashion was...

"Well if he likes really cute, decorative, almost fairy-tale things then I'm sure he will. Though Lolita fashion is an acquired taste. Still I think you could pull it off." Stacy gave her fashion judgment.

"But Candace, you dressed in Lolita fashion when we did our spontaneous musical number remember?" Jenny pointed out. Candace indeed had dressed in a Gothic Lolita outfit in that mystery-themed musical performance though it was more for show than actually wearing it.

"Yeah but I am SO not a Goth. Plus that was practically a costume. I want to dress in that Sweet Lolita I've heard so much about. The one with all the pastel colors and frilliness and tasty fruits." Candace declared. _She's taking a big gamble,_ Stacy thought. Little did the three friends know but Perry had finally made his appearance. He had hidden in the large tree in the backyard after he got out from the mission briefing and had even seen Dr. Doofensmirtz push the machine into the portal but was waiting for the right opportunity to enter in undisguised. Fortunately there had been a bit of commotion when Buford had asked his owners when they were done and he complained about it, halting the line's movement for a bit. So Perry entered the portal, not bothered by its mysterious texture and method of working for the Inators he had to deal with on a daily basis were much more unpredictable. He had entered as the normal, 'doesn't do much' Perry but quickly assumed Agent P mode.

He looked a bit shocked to see Candace, Stacy, and Jenny standing in front of him but not facing him. They appeared to be talking to one another, not turning their heads to face who they were talking to, while staring at the skyline that was Hirano. The events of yesterday were a great close call. He was lucky he had adopted that incredible form and evaded being spotted. Jenny's comments about him were also quite disturbing (His hearing had been greatly enhanced as a result of the transformation) and led him to be even more confused on who Jenny was. He was not surprised to see Stacy here for this was the kind of thing she'd probably like and she usually was with Candace anyway so he felt assured. But knowing that someone could appear at any moment, he quickly leapt over the side of the moon bridge and gracefully dived into the river. The splash was heard by the three friends who turned to see where it was coming from.

"Was that a splash?" Jenny asked as though to make sure.

"Yeah... I'm sure it was nothing though." Stacy said. She didn't think it was Perry so she was being quite truthful when saying that. So the three friends looked onward to the sight that was Hirano.

"Well a day consists of twenty-four hours so let's not waste this precious day Gaia has given to us. Let's go!" Jenny announced. The three friends nodded and started off towards the other end of the moon bridge. Meanwhile, Perry swam underwater, under the watchful eyes of actual fishing boats with people fishing. Some fish were present in the river so Perry was careful to avoid the fish. Being an semi-aquatic mammal and a secret agent gave him the best agility underwater and so he was easily able to avoid detection. He suddenly realized something though in the midst of his swim. That he forgot the cardboard box with the disguise in it. He surfaced near a small port and checked in with Major Monogram with one of his devices.

"Agent P, what is it? Did you see three suspicious looking evildoers? Did you already apprehend them?" Major Monogram asked. _They must really be a serious concern, _Perry thought. He then chittered the exact reason why he had called.

"Oh you forgot the disguise? No worries, I had Peter the Panda sneak it in when I saw you left it. He placed it in what will be your temporary headquarters for the duration of this mission. It's a temple not far from your location. It will have a sign in front with our initials done in an attempt to channel Japanese kanji." Major Monogram reported. Perry was quite glad to hear that. Peter the Panda had been the agent to take over his spot when Dr. Doofensmirtz cheated on him, which felt weirder to think about now that Stacy knew his secret, and wound up hurting his feelings. Not one to hold a particularly strong grudge, like with Lyla, he eventually learned to work together and trust Peter and he was a competent agent. Plus being an Asian panda meant he'd blend in easy in Hirano and not draw too much attention to himself. With these motives clear, Perry nodded and signed off. He got out of the water and then went to look for the said temple. He found it quite quickly and started wiping his feet on a mat outside. He also cleaned his hands with a bowl of clean water set out in front before finally entering the temple.

He saw the cardboard box in the middle of the temple's tatami floor. The walls were adorned with images of dragons and Japanese gods and myths. But he didn't have time to sight-see, he knew Dr. Doofensmirtz was up to no good. So he went to the cardboard box and opened it. He first pulled out the note and examined its contents carefully.

"This samurai disguise consists of traditional Japanese underwear called fundoshi, a samurai robe so you don't get caught wearing underwear in public, and a actual battle sword that comes with its own sheath. Note- You'll have to put on the fundoshi yourself and adjust it to fit your... tail. Carl insisted on the fundoshi saying it would provide maximum comfort and battle maneuvering so I gave you the sword to make up for it. It's sharp so be careful with it but you are a top agent so I don't think you need a warning." Was what the note said word for word. Perry's jaw dropped as he rummaged in the box some more and pulled out a rather long cloth suitable for being tied and knotted into the fundoshi. _At least Major Monogram wasn't involved in this, _he thought as he realized how silly the fundoshi part of the disguise was. _Do I really have to put it on?_ It seemed required so he definitely did have to put it on. Not the best look or disguise for that matter. He then pulled out a rich, red samurai robe, complete with a black-dyed rope to tie around as a sash. That looked a lot better and would cover up the fundoshi. Finally he pulled out a long katana. The sheath of the blade was gold and embroidered with platypuses and the hilt of the blade was onyx and the blade sharp as can be. The sheath also had a solid strap that meant Perry could wear it over his shoulder and carry it with him and be able to pull out the blade anytime. Perry was pretty much capable with any weapon, be it boomerangs or random objects or missile launchers so he would have no trouble with this. In fact the only hard part would be putting on that fundoshi...

Meanwhile, the three heroines found themselves in the middle of a beautiful Japanese garden. Candace, Jenny, and Stacy looked around in complete amazement. A subtle musical beat was starting up which could only mean one thing. Another spontaneous musical number was about to begin.

Candace: _Do you see what I see? (As Candace's head turns slowly as she observes her surroundings, Jenny and Stacy also look around in a half slow-mo, half natural sort of way.)_

Jenny: _Cherry blossom treeeeees, smelling so fragrant. (Jenny points to some cherry blossom trees on a small hill and Candace and Stacy look at it. In the brief break between Jenny's first line and second line, Candace and Stacy smell the air and get a whiff of the cherry blossom's scent.)_

Stacy: _We've begun our journey (Stacy walks forward and down a path as she sings with Candace and Jenny following her_

Jenny: _Tai chi improves the core (The three girls pass by a group of people doing tai chi in the grass and Jenny takes a moment to glance at them as she sings.)_

Stacy: _Then there's this tatami flooooooor, a traditional aspect (The three girls then find a picnic area with several long tables and pillows on a tatami mat. Stacy sings her lines as the three girls head towards one of those said tables.)_

Candace:_ This isn't Danville anymore (Candace sings her line as the girls sit down at the table but at her very last note, the camera shifts to Perry sticking his now fundoshi-clad bottom out in front of a tall mirror and looking at his reflection to see if he put it on right. Fortunately he did, even though he had to alter the knots and shape of it to make way for his beaver tail. His face is noticeably a bit red and looks embarrassed.)_

Stacy: _We advise you to come (Recovering instantly from initial shock, Perry dramatically puts on his samurai robe and ties the rope firmly around his waist to form the sash that holds it together.)_

Candace: _And you don't need a sum (Perry then slowly and epically draws the sword from it's sheath)_

Jenny: _Inspired by the place where all things are made from (Perry then holds the sword firmly and strongly and assumes a samurai-looking stance with a ready look in his eyes.)_

Candace, Jenny, and Stacy: _Hush up, and see that everything's Kawaii (The Fireside Girls, dressed as very cute maids, are now up on the table and dance to the music.)_

_ That's what you get for waking up in Hirano (The Fireside Girls pull out three teacups filled with elegant tea and in dancer-esque pose, hold them out so that Candace, Jenny, and Stacy can each take one.)_

_ Shake the petals off your kimono (The dance continues as Ginger gives Stacy some pocky sticks to have with their tea and Stacy pops one into her mouth. Jenny also blows gently on her tea.)_

_ That's what you get for waking up in Hirano (The camera closes in on Candace sipping her tea and then the scenery shifts to that of what appears to be a shopping district. Lanterns hang as decorations and there appear to be several different stores, though it is hard to tell what they are for the signs are in Japanese.)_

Jenny: _These lanterns are very quaint (The camera rotates slowly around the three, who face back to back like a pinwheel, in a very epic fashion as the three examine their surroundings.)_

Stacy: _Picture what they painttttttt, into our mi-inds.(Stay clenches her fists, Candace flexes her knuckles, and Jenny flips her hair back with a graceful movement of her hand.)_

Candace: _Shopaholic until we faint (Candace, Jenny, and Stacy nod and run into three different stores.)_

Candace: _Lolita Fashion (Candace finds herself in a fashion boutique that has lovely Lolita dresses and accessories displayed on racks and mannequins. She instantly lights up.)_

Jenny: _Here's the graphic novels (Jenny finds herself in a bookstore that sells manga, comics, and other Japanese-related reads. She looks nervous.)_

Stacy: _Last but not least here is all the merchandise. (Stacy, looking like she can't contain her excitement, is in an anime-themed store with plushes of famous characters galore, DVDS, posters, collectible figures, and more. She immediately runs over to the plushes.)_

Candace, Jenny, and Stacy: _Hush up, and see that everything's Kawaii (Stacy grabs a whole bunch of different plushes with a giddy expression, like a kid eating an ice cream sundae._

_ That's what you get for waking up in Hirano (Candace examines the qualities of a lovely-looking Sweet Lolita dress and then finds the price-tag and is about to look at it.)_

_ Shake the petals off your kimono (Jenny, with the same expression she had when she was admiring Parable, gazes at a poster of a platypus-based furry artwork.)_

_ That's what you get for waking up in Hirano (The screen shows all three girl's faces and what they are doing. Candace looks at the price-tag and her face drops in sadness as it appears that the price is very expensive. Stacy is still smiling giddily, hugging three plushes. Jenny is still staring at the poster.)_

Jenny: _They got me into this, foreign languages, bushido and festivals (Now Jenny, Candace, and Stacy are in a boat along the river with Jenny paddling the boat and Candace and Stacy holding parasols. There are shopping bags present on the boat that are presumably theirs. Jenny looks happy to be steering the boat though and Candace and Stacy look relaxed.)_

Stacy: _Don't forget to find your Zen. (Little do they know is that on the rooftops of some buildings overlooking them, a decked out Samurai Perry is running and leaping from rooftop to rooftop looking for Dr. Doofensmirtz.)_

_They only accept yen. But have a zodiac. See what we mean about Hirano? (As Jenny and Candace take in their surroundings, Stacy gazes down at the river.)_

Candace: _See what we mean? See what we mean? We mean? We mean? (To Stacy's surprise she sees Perry's reflection in the river, and stares at it mesmerized before realizing how weird it is and shakes it off and exhales.)_

_Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yeahhhhhhhhhhhhh! (Now Candace, Stacy, and Jenny are at an arcade and appear as though they are about to play a dancing-type games as they are on a stage with arrows in certain places and they look prepped to dance. There is a crowd of people watching and their purchases are nearby.)_

Candace, Jenny, and Stacy: _Hush up, and see that everything's Kawaii (The screen of the video game shows that the song has started and the three girls are keeping time to the music and are scoring points for successful movements.)_

_ That's what you get for waking up in Hirano, Shake the petals off your kimono (Candace, Stacy, and Jenny dance with great energy in passion as colorful lights from spotlights flash over them.)_

_ That's what you get for waking up in Hirano (The three finish with their own unique dancing pose and the screen of the game shows that they have reached a high score with cute animated effects.)_

Candace: _That's what you get baby. Shake the petals. Shake, shake, shake the petals. Give me some yen out, baby. Give me some yen out, baby._ _(The scene now changes to Candace, Jenny, and Stacy being at a teahouse. But noticeably, the camera first shows Candace but then pans out to reveal that her hair has been styled and her clothes into that of a certain Straw Hat Navigator of the New World. She is cosplaying and even mimicking one of her poses on a stool at the counter. The camera then pans out to show Stacy and Jenny also cosplaying. Stacy is dressed as a certain Social Link of the Aeon Arcana complete with hat and bag, and Jenny is dressed in a certain Cardcaptor's school uniform. Stacy and Jenny are also playing a game of Go, a classic Chinese game though it is unclear whose winning.)_

As the music drifted away, Candace looked down at her cosplay costume. While it WAS a costume and this was the kind of place where it was a bit more appropriate to dress out of your comfort zone, Candace did have standards. Namely being a role model to her brothers. Plus she had a boyfriend already and this kind of outfit was to be worn by those... who were looking for boyfriends.

"Mom would kill me if she saw me in this. I'm going to go change into something G-rated." She mumbled, getting out of her seat and walking towards the exit. Jenny got up though and went after her saying,

"I'll come with you. I would like to change into my normal clothes. I have no issues against uniforms but..." Jenny's voice trailed off as she followed Candace. Stacy understood that cosplay was not for everyone but there were some merits.

"But you'll miss all the compliments!" Stacy called out. As if to prove her point, a teenager appeared and asked her,

"Are you-?"

"Yes, yes I am." Stacy replied with a happy grin.

"Can I have an autograph?" The teenager asked again.

"Sure thing!" Stacy responded. She was enjoying herself in the town named after her. It had everything she loved about Japan and more. _I wonder if Perry's here,_ she thought. Considering Dr. Doofensmirtz had clearly come over to Hirano, it was probable Perry was here too. Would they meet again?

WHEW! I've been quite busy for the past few days and writing my musical numbers is never easy but I think the pay-off is worth it ^_^. So the song is inspired by 'Waking Up in Vegas' by Katy Perry which I think matches the whole idea of seeing Hirano for the first time quite well. Also, I consider Katy Perry to be one of my favorite artists if not my favorite ^_^. So anyways, like I mentioned previously, I will be making some anime references, at least in what the characters do or buy or experience. So I will explain those if you have questions but since I want you to understand who Candace, Stacy, and Jenny cosplayed as I'll tell you. Candace cosplayed as New World Nami from One Piece, Stacy cosplayed as Marie from Persona 4 Golden, and Jenny cosplayed as Sakura Kinomoto from Cardcaptor Sakura (At least her school uniform). So hopefully that clears things up. :) So Candace, Jenny, and Stacy have experienced Hirano first-hand and see its greatness. But they still have to meet up for fortune-telling with Phineas, Ferb, and their friends. What will their fortunes say? And will they have any foreshadowing? Also, what is Dr. Doofensmirtz up to in Hirano? Find out next time on Chapter 4! :D BTW, I would like to apologize to my HTF readers about my lack of updates on 'The Happiness Ends Part 1'. I've been really caught up and immersed myself into this storyline so I've kind of put 'The Happiness Ends Part 1' to the side for the meantime. But I will continue it so please don't lose hope. As usual, I take no ownership of copyright and all rights belong respectfully and eloquently to Disney and Phineas and Ferb. Thanks! ^_^


End file.
